2015 Jorge Lorenzo vs Valentino Rossi
2015 was the year of the Movistar Yamaha MotoGP Racing team’s inside battle.
For the audience a rather peculiar picture set the tone before the race. The two rivals and teammates, Jorge Lorenzo and Valentino Rossi waited for the red lights to go out at the opposite end of the starting grid. Lorenzo clinched the pole, while Rossi started from dead last due to a harsh penalty. The previous Malaysian Grand Prix produced the biggest controversy and rivalry of our age. Marc Marquez and Valentino Rossi got into a bit of a pickle fighting for crucial points. Valentino Rossi seemed to kick Marquez, Rossi to this day claims that his foot got stuck in Marc’s handlebar. The FIM decided to penalize Rossi with a starting grid and 4-point penalty before the deciding Valencia GP.
So, as it stands: Jorge Lorenzo started from pole with 305 points. Valentino Rossi started from 26th with 312 points. Jorge Lorenzo had the task to overturn a points deficit in the last race of the season. A feat that only 2 riders had done before him (slight nod to part 3).
Everyone knew, this race would go down in MotoGP history as one of the most important EVER. The red lights went out, screaming engines, burnt tyres, hungry fans. After one lap, Rossi had moved up exponentially, coming in at 12th, while Lorenzo haven’t lost his first position, though two Repsol Hondas behind him.
Rossi had to start super aggressive and he didn’t disappoint. Hernandez, Bautista, Bradl, Pirro all didn’t stand a chance and Iannone crashed out, so Rossi was up to 9th, all this within 2 laps. Bad news for him, the top three: Lorenzo, Marquez and Pedrosa gapped the rest of the grid.
The first real challenge for Rossi came with picking up 8th, Bradley Smith fiercely fought. On the opposite, his long-time friend Danilo Petrucci missed a turn, helping Rossi gain another position, while the gap between 3rd placed Pedrosa and 4th placed Dovizioso grew to over 6 and a half seconds.
As the laps went it was clear that the maximum that Rossi could achieve is 4th, meaning if Lorenzo stayed 1st, Rossi will lose. This is where me as a true #46 kid watching this race, really started to panic. The crowd roared with every overtake. As expected, Rossi reached 4th with 18 laps to go, but then the gap between him and Pedrosa grew to over 10 seconds. 5 points between the Yamaha riders.
The remaining laps Pedrosa and Marquez couldn’t pile the pressure on Lorenzo, not that it would have mattered, even at equal points Lorenzo would have won on number of victories. Lorenzo was crowned champion by 5 points.
As a Valentino fan this day in Valencia grieved me, because we knew than and there that no matter how great Vale is, age creeped up on him and he likely wouldn’t have another chance.
Some to this day debate if Marquez even wanted to challenge Lorenzo after what happened in Sepang, or if Rossi’s penalty was too harsh. It all doesn’t matter now, or does it? Marquez secured a Factory Ducati seat next year for himself, meaning on paper he has a last chance to catch #46 in the history books.
BME Veloce Corse 